Renewable energies are currently gaining importance in the energy models of different countries and, in fact, there are more and more countries that produce their energy from natural sources. An exemplary case is Costa Rica, which bases practically all of its electrical matrix on renewable energies.
To support this type of energy, we will dedicate this post of Green Ecology to talk about what renewable energies are . If you want to learn everything about this topic, we encourage you to continue reading and learn about what these energies are, their importance, various examples, their advantages and disadvantages and their differences with non-renewable energies.
What are renewable energies and what is their importance?
Let’s start this section by defining what renewable energies are. These are defined as energy obtained from renewable or inexhaustible sources . The fact that they are inexhaustible is due to the fact that they exist in immense quantities or that they have the capacity to regenerate through natural processes at a faster rate than they are consumed.
Characteristics of renewable energies
Its main feature is that its production and subsequent use do not generate serious polluting products or emit greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Therefore, many call renewable energies clean or green energies , since they are environmentally friendly. This does not mean that they are harmless, everything has its impact on the environment, but this is much smaller and different from that of non-renewable energies.
Importance of renewable energy
So why are renewable energies important? As we mentioned before, renewable energies themselves do not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, therefore they are carbon neutral and do not contribute to climate change. Considering that we are going through an unprecedented climate crisis and that one of the causes that triggered this crisis is the exploitation of fossil fuels for energy generation, renewable energies are the environmentally friendly replacement for fossil fuels. For this reason, renewable energies are of enormous importance worldwide when it comes to developing climate change mitigation plans . Without a doubt, renewable energies are and will be fundamental in the sustainable development models that countries must design to combat climate change.
Examples of renewable energy
Fortunately, depending on the characteristics of each site, there are various types of renewable energy . Here are some examples:
- Solar energy: is the energy obtained from the sun’s rays that reach the Earth’s surface and can be classified into photovoltaic solar energy and thermal solar energy. It is possibly the most widely used.
- Wind energy: is energy generated by the force of the wind and is obtained through wind turbines. There are wind farms both on land and in the middle of the sea.
- Hydroelectric power: in this case, the movement of water from rivers or other bodies of water, specifically streams or waterfalls, is harnessed. Hydroelectric dams are installed to harness this power.
- Geothermal energy: this uses the internal heat of the Earth linked to volcanoes, fumaroles, geysers and hot springs. It is one of the least exploited renewable energies.
- Marine energy: energy obtained through the force of waves, tides and sea currents. This also includes osmotic energy produced by salinity gradients in the sea.
- Biomass : thanks to biomass, that is, the organic fraction originating from living beings, energy can be obtained. An example of biomass as an energy source is the combustion of firewood used for heating. Based on this example, we can say that biomass is one of the first sources of energy used by humans.
- Biogas: Biogas is produced from gases released when organic matter decomposes. These gases undergo a purification process and can then be used as electricity or heat.
- Biofuels: Biofuels, such as bioethanol or biodiesel, can replace conventional fuels. Each type of biofuel has its own specific production process, but they all have one thing in common: they are obtained from plant biomass. The positive aspect of this is that agricultural-industrial waste can be used to obtain biofuels.
In the case of nuclear energy, also called nuclear fission, we want to mention it separately because it often causes confusion. It is the energy that is released as a result of a reaction where heavy atomic nuclei are divided, generally uranium is used. Thus, nuclear energy is not a renewable energy , since the presence of uranium on Earth is finite and it cannot be regenerated in the quantities that are required. However, it is considered a clean energy , since its production does not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, that is, it does not emit polluting gases in the process of its production and use (although this is not the case when the facilities have to be built and other aspects). On the other hand, the waste it can generate is polluting.
Advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy
Below, we will mention the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energies so that you can get to know them a little better:
Advantages of renewable energy
- They are carbon neutral in themselves, therefore helping to combat climate change.
- They allow us to conserve the planet’s non-renewable resources.
- They are inexhaustible, so their use for future generations is guaranteed.
- They do not generate waste or polluting by-products.
- They are safe energies, their use does not put human health at risk.
- They can be used in places where the electrical grid does not reach, thus reducing energy dependence on third parties.
- Its production constitutes a source of green employment.
Disadvantages of renewable energy
- The facilities required to produce renewable energy require large spaces and are expensive.
- The construction of such facilities can produce pollution.
- Some types of renewable energy, such as solar or wind, are not continuous. They depend on the time of day and also the season of the year.
You can learn more by reading this other post about the Advantages and disadvantages of renewable energies .
Differences between renewable and non-renewable energy
When we talk about renewable energies, it is impossible not to mention those that are not renewable. That is why, to clarify concepts, here we will talk about their differences.
- The main difference is based on their availability. While renewable resources are inexhaustible, non-renewable resources can be exhausted and cannot be renewed, at least on a human time scale.
- Another difference is the footprint they leave on the environment . The exploitation of renewable energies does not have a major impact on the environment compared to the exploitation of non-renewable energies, which leads to climate change and pollution of air, soil and water.
- All countries have some form of renewable energy, but not all have non-renewable energy. Therefore, the use of non-renewable energy creates dependence on other countries , while the use of renewable energy counteracts this dependence.
